Viva La Vida!

A Spanish speaker I am not. I took french throughout high school. Although my days as a waitress in Los Angeles as I put myself through College lent my ear to many south of the border phrases.
The popular Coldplay song titled above translates (I am pretty sure) as "I Live the Life".
On a pretty Cape Cod day I am tempted to speak a similar phrase. Although as I walk through my busy days as a baker, writer, mom to three, wife, etc- I get it. My version of "I Live the Life" looks different than the popular phrase in song- I hold the key.
Most days I can't even find my keys.
But I'm like most people- there are things that are beyond first appearances. Beyond appearances.
My son reminds me the song reflects a story in the French revolution.
Like all good stories their must be a universal message here. Take the good with the bad. Don't stop short. Embrace life.
Isn't it true that sometimes the things we should really 'get' we miss entirely? I know there are times I do.
For now, it's simply summer on Cape Cod: Viva la Vida!
Over the weekend I made Dreamy Island Cookies, Two Sand Pail Cakes: one for Sophia's fourth birthday, the other for a cake auction Bella entered and a carrot cake.

Fresh Picked Blueberry's & Friends

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." ~ Anais Nin


We were invited for dinner at an old friends house Monday. I love spending time with friends so much. For me, it is kind of like the way Nin explains (she is better at explaining it than me).

There are friends who by simply meeting them can draw out my silly side, adventurous side, serious side, etc. I love them all.

Our friends served a delicious blueberry cobbler for desert. Blueberries are perfect right now-sweet and plump and all around yummy.

Gather some fresh blueberries at the market or even better find a spot to pick them yourself. Invite your friends over and watch a new world born!

You can serve the blueberries with fresh cream, vanilla ice cream or with home made biscuits topped with creme fraiche. Or you can search the link to joyofbaking.com for wonderful recipes.

Aunt Ollie, Apple Pie & Apologies

When you realize you've made a mistake, make amends immediately. It's easier to eat crow while it's still warm. ~Dan Heist
My aunt Ollie passed away last week. She was ninety three. Born in 1914. She is someone who witnessed major changes in her lifetime. I attended her funeral over the weekend. I am happy I was able to go. The main thing the pastor shared about her is how good she was at keeping in touch with the people she loved. That is such a good quality to posses. My two older kids are becoming teens and I am trying to instill that in them too.

I remember when I was a kid that she was really good at making apple pie too. She was especially good at making the crust. Her pies were delicious!

As for apologies: I sell three different sizes of lemon cake: 6 oz, 8 oz and 48 oz. My large lemon cakes are the best deal-easier on me and serves 10-14 people. Recently I inadvertently used my medium sized labels on my small cakes-oops. Sorry! I think there were only about three sold but if you bought a small cake that read 8 oz and it wasn't--I'm sorry! Please write to me and I'd be happy to leave you a true 8 oz lemon cake at the farm for you.

I have corrected the problem--no future worries. As for the crow in the quote above I am not entirely sure what he has to do with it but I liked the meaning overall. The lemon cake is delicious. It's a perfect recipe. Lots of fresh lemon, eggs and pudding in the mix make it a tasty treat.

Generosity & Gratitude

When eating bamboo sprouts, remember the man who planted them.
Chinese Proverb

I came across this quote in a book I was reading the other day. It struck me because at first all I could think about was who eats bamboo sprouts?
As I thought about it a little more I realized what it's really about is a reminder to be generous and have gratitude for things that have come before us.
In an attempt to remember 'the man who planted them' I extend my gratitude to my husband for being a good dad, to my friends who stay in touch with me even when their own lives get hectic and to every one who ordered baked goods from me last week- the woman who had the surprise party for her husband and bought a few large cakes and to the woman who ordered my starfish sugar cookies for a private party.
This coming week I will offer my generosity to my older daughter's school. I will make lemon cakes for an end of the year breakfast and cookies for the classroom party that will celebrate summer birthdays.

Spirea, Sex & Starfish

"Who are you to be talented, gorgeous and fabulous...who are you not to be?" -Marianne Williamson


This Spirea bush is in full bloom in my front yard. There are four others just like it. I have been surprised at how big they are getting. They're gorgeous.

A bunch of women friends stopped over last night for cosmos and appetizers before we went to see "Sex & The City." One thing I really love and appreciate about that movie is how tight the four girls are.

Before the movie I offered a toast as we sipped our cocktails- I shared with them the quote from Marianne Williamson above. I want to try to encourage my women friends as much as friends have encouraged me over the years.

On Friday I stopped at the Woods Hole Aquarium with Sophia and I saw a coral colored starfish. I am going to look for that color and try to duplicate it. I already have for sale pink, green, red, blue and purple starfish. I think coral colored starfish sugar cookies would be adorable too.

Ordinary Perfection

"Ordinary perfection is being true to ourselves, to the way things are. Do we go into the garden wishing that the pansies were taller than the daffodils, or thinking that the roses would be fine if only they didn't have thorns? Do we go into a Kindergarten and wish that the children would fit into some model of perfection we hold, or can we see that variety makes the beauty of gardens and humans?" From After the Ecstasy, the Laundry by Jack Kornfield.

No two of my cakes or cookies will ever be exactly alike. That is part of the fun and beauty of it all. Life really is perfect in it's ordinary imperfections. My oven is off today. I baked late last night and I will be baking again in the morning. My daughter and I went to the beach yesterday. It was gorgeous. I snapped a picture of Sophia while she was playing in the sand-she turned away just before the image was captured. But even still I think it's an ordinary perfect picture.